life saving skills

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, commonly known as CPR, is a crucial skill that can keep a person alive until professional help arrives. CPR involves chest compressions and rescue breaths to maintain oxygen circulation in the body. Here’s a basic guide on performing CPR:

• Check for responsiveness: Tap the person and shout for help. If they don’t respond, call 911 or ask someone nearby to do so.
• Begin chest compressions: Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest, just below the nipple line, and interlock your fingers. Push hard and fast at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
• Give rescue breaths: After 30 compressions, give two rescue breaths. Tilt the head backward, pinch the nose, and cover the person’s mouth with yours, delivering breaths that make the chest rise.

Proper CPR training is the best way to learn this life saving skills, but even without it, you can perform CPR chest compressions or hands-only CPR. Press on the victim’s chest at least two inches down, at the rate of two compressions per second or 120 chest compressions per minute. Continue without stopping until it restores the normal heart rate, or emergency assistance can take over.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Use

In addition to performing high-quality CPR during a cardiac arrest, knowing how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) is a critical life saving skill to have to respond to medical emergencies. AEDs are portable devices that can deliver an electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. They are simple to use and often available in public places. To use an AED:

• Turn on the AED and follow the voice or visual prompts.
• Attach the electrode pads to the person’s chest as shown in the instructions.
• Ensure that no one is touching the person and press the “analyze” button.
• If advised, deliver a shock by pressing the “shock” button.

Heimlich Maneuver

The Heimlich Maneuver, also known as abdominal thrusts, is a first-aid technique used to help a choking victim who cannot breathe due to an obstruction in their airway, typically caused by a foreign object, such as food, getting stuck in the throat. This maneuver is named after Dr. Henry Heimlich, who first described and popularized it. Here’s how the Heimlich Maneuver is performed:

• Stand behind the person and wrap your arms around their waist.
• Make a fist with one hand and place it just above the navel, thumb side in.
• Grasp the fist with your other hand and give quick, upward thrusts until the object is expelled.

First Aid for Severe Bleeding

First aid for severe bleeding is crucial in situations where a person is experiencing significant bleeding due to an injury or wound. Severe bleeding can be life-threatening, so it’s essential to take immediate action while waiting for professional medical help to arrive. Here are the steps to provide first aid for severe bleeding:

• Apply direct pressure: Use a clean cloth, gauze, or your hand to apply direct pressure on the bleeding wound.
• Elevate the injured area if possible.
• If bleeding continues, apply a tourniquet as a last resort.
• Monitor the person’s condition and comfort them.
• Stay with them until professional help arrives.

Recovery Position

The recovery position, also known as the lateral recumbent position, is a first aid technique used to position an unconscious person who is breathing normally and has no spinal injuries into a stable and safe posture. Placing an unconscious individual in the recovery position helps maintain an open airway and prevents them from choking on their own vomit or saliva. Here’s how to properly position someone in the recovery position:

• Lay the person on their side with their upper leg bent at a right angle to their body.
• Support their head with your hand to keep the airway open.

Recognizing Signs of Stroke

A stroke is a sudden and potentially life-threatening medical condition that occurs when there is a disruption in the blood supply to a part of the brain. Strokes can have serious and lasting effects on an individual’s physical and cognitive functions. Remember the acronym FAST to recognize the signs:

• Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop?
• Arms: Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech: Ask them to repeat a simple sentence. Is their speech slurred or strange?
• Time: If you observe any of these signs, call (Near By Hospital Emergency Services ) immediately.

Basic First Aid

Learning basic first aid skills is an invaluable asset for everyone. These skills empower individuals to respond effectively to a wide range of injuries and medical emergencies, from cuts and burns to fractures and more. The immediate response and injury stabilization taught in first aid training can make a significant difference in the outcome of an accident or health crisis. It equips individuals to provide initial care that not only stabilizes the injured person’s condition but also prevents further harm.

Additionally, first aid helps reduce complications, offers emotional support, and prepares individuals to handle unexpected emergencies in their everyday lives, workplaces, and communities. It contributes to safer environments, complies with workplace safety regulations, and enhances community resilience in times of need.

Treating Insect and Snake Bites

It’s fun to head into nature, but doing so can put us in danger, as insects and snakes traverse the area. While it’s more likely that you will receive a bite from a harmless animal like a mosquito, it’s still useful to have the knowledge of how to treat rarer occurrences. However, the simple fact of the matter is that anything can happen in nature, so it’s useful to have this training so you can help anyone in distress.

The first thing you’ll want to do is contact emergency responders and wash the bite. It’s best to wash it with clean water and soap and cover the wound with a cold and clean compress. Then, try to keep the bite at a lower level than your heart, as this will help slow any venom from spreading throughout your bloodstream. Finally, it’s best to remain calm and still, as this also helps prevent the venom from spreading.

Treating Major Burns

The idea of a serious burn can be terrifying. The first thing you should do is contact emergency services. Thankfully, in the meantime, there are methods you can use to treat major burns as you wait for the first responders to arrive. If you take our BLS course, you will learn treatment methods like cooling the burn with cold water, applying petroleum ointment, and ensuring the burn does not receive sun contact.

Administering an EpiPen

Many of us are allergic to foods and insects, which is why it’s so useful to know how to administer an EpiPen. Thankfully, it’s quite simple, as there are only four basic steps to follow. First, you’ll want to hold the pen with your dominant hand and remove the safety cap. Then, position the tip toward the thigh at a 90-degree angle. Then, you’ll need to jab the pen into the person’s thigh. Finally, call emergency services and wait for them to arrive.

Are you looking to achieve your AHA certification? At CPR123, we have CPR, AED, and first aid courses that non-healthcare providers can easily attain. We pride ourselves on providing the highest-quality training so you can finish your course with confidence, knowing you have received the most expansive and in-depth training available.